After a rough 2020 season in the NBA 2K league, Lakers Gaming loaded up its roster and readied for a turnaround with two of the first seven picks in the 2021 2K League Draft Saturday night. As expected, the Lakers selected power forward Arshia Karimi aka Krazy, the consensus best prospect in the draft, first overall. They then pulled the first stunner of the draft when they flipped 2K20 Rookie of the Year finalist Sten “Sav” Valge-Saar to Heat Check Gaming for the seventh pick, using it to draft shooting guard Maurice “ReeseDaGod” Delaney.
This will be Krazy’s first season as a pro, but he profiles as a 20-point, 10-rebound per game player and a possible franchise cornerstone for Lakers Gaming for years to come. He said he is excited about playing in the front court with versatile second year big man Wady Tactuk.
“Whatever is better for the team,” Krazy said. “There’s just multiple ways we can try stuff out to help us out to win.”
Of course, Krazy joins a broader franchise currently led on the real NBA court by two star forwards and former no. 1 overall picks themselves in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The greater Lakers brand was on full display Saturday night–”Lakers Gaming superfan” Robert Horry announced the selection of Krazy remotely.
“I hope I can bring the winning just how they are in the regular NBA,” Krazy said. “Just a winning team. They don’t like to lose and I wanna be just like them.”
ReeseDaGod comes from Wizards Gaming, who he helped to a 2K League championship last season but was not retained as part of a stacked roster. Like many others, he was caught off guard by Lakers Gaming’s move to trade Sav and select him at no. 7.
“It’s gonna be very hard not being in DC,” he said. “I’ve been there since day one, but I always tell myself when God closes one door another one opens so I’m gonna take this obstacle head on and give the Lakers my all.”
It marked a new peak for ReeseDaGod’s ascent as a 2K league veteran. This is his third time in the draft, but he was selected in the third round both previous times before getting picked seventh overall this time around. Reese says he does not feel any extra pressure from the Lakers giving up one of their best young players to get him, and plans to bring his good off-court vibes to his new team. He has already been texting with Krazy.
“I just feel they believed in me and I’m gonna give them my all,” ReeseDaGod said.
The Lakers had three more picks, one in each following round. They took point guard Eddy “Bohio” Perez with the 24th overall pick, forward Jeremy Seese at 38, and forward Bobby “Bobby Buckets” Jones Jr. at no. 61.
